


They Looked Backward and Said Goodbye

by EllieBear



Series: Postcards from Neptune [16]
Category: Veronica Mars (Movie 2014), Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Family, Oneshot, Prompt Fic, VM AU Week 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-14 19:06:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18058283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllieBear/pseuds/EllieBear
Summary: Young Veronica needs reassuring that everything will turn out fine.  Somewhere else in the world, Logan does too.For the LoVe AU Week Day 1 Prompt:  Come back to me/Always





	They Looked Backward and Said Goodbye

* * *

 1.

* * *

 

Veronica gripped her father’s leg for dear life.  She wasn’t going to let him leave her here.  Usually, she was happy to visit Grandma Reynolds – with her dress-up clothes in the attic and a pot of tea always ready for a party – but this time was different.

 

The ride down to Grandma Reynold’s house had been a quiet one – too quiet – the kind of quiet that made her six-year-old brain hum.  Her mother had another one of her headaches, and so her father had been forced to eject his beloved “Blue Oyster Cult” cassette.  It was a staple of road trips and the stillness of the car – with only the sound of the tires beating against the road – made Veronica uneasy.  Compounding that were the whispers before she left – the kind that stopped the minute she entered the room.  They thought she didn’t know – that she wasn’t listening – but something was up, and as she pressed her ear to the old air vents, she could hear the low voices of her parents fighting when they thought she was asleep, leading all the way up to the moment they left.

 

Then there was the announcement from her mother when they got to the door – Veronica would be staying alone with Grandma for the week while she and Veronica’s father went away together.  Alone.  To work on things. 

 

 _Things_?  What were the _things_?  Veronica didn’t understand.  She knew that parents went on vacations, but this wasn’t that.  This was a _thing_.  An unknown.  They had never left her alone with anyone for a long time and fear gripped her heart.  What if something happened to them?  What if something happened to her and they weren’t here? 

 

Her father snipped that they should have told her sooner and her mother snapped that Veronica would have refused to get in the car and all Veronica could think was that they were both right.  It was about then she wrapped herself around her father’s leg, burying her face in the side of his thigh, refusing to move.

 

That’s when the bribing started, the pleading, the hissing of Lianne under her breath for Veronica to just let go.  But she wouldn’t.  She was too strong, her father said when Lianne suggested just prying her from him, before he begged everyone to just leave them alone.

 

And now, in the quiet of Grandma’s parlor, Keith stroked her long, blond hair, reassuring her with soft words that everything was going to be fine – that she would have fun with her Grandma – and that when they returned, everything would go back to normal.

 

With a quivering lip, Veronica looked up at her father, trying to hold back her tears.

 

“Will you really come back for me?”

 

Smiling down at his daughter, Keith nodded.

 

“Always.”

 

* * *

 2.

* * *

 

Standing near his mother's suitcase, laying open on the bed, six year old Logan fought back tears.  She couldn't really be doing this -- leaving him with that monster.  But the nanny wasn't packing his bags, and Trina went to school that morning, so it must be true.  His eyes followed her back and forth around the room as she picked out clothing and gently folding it before placing it neatly in the suitcase, but she didn't say a word.  Every so often she would stop at the side table and take a quick sip of her martini before continuing.  When the last item was placed in, she couldn't ignore him any more, and Lynn let out a deep sigh.

 

"It's just for a week.  I have a very important audition."

 

Logan nodded, his blond hair falling over his eyes.  Pulling his arms into his shirt, he frowned up at her.  "Why can't I come?"

 

Rolling her eyes, Lynn placed her hands on her hips.  "Because.  You just can't. It'll be fine.  You'll be fine."

 

The words seemed to be more to reassure herself than him and he pulled his arms deeper into his shirt, stretching the fabric as he did.

 

"Don't do that."  Lynn scolded.  "You'll stretch out another shirt.  And you know how your father hates when he sees you do that."

 

Scrunching his face up for a moment, Logan thought about the small satisfaction of having ruined another thing his parents bought him before releasing his hands back out through the cuffs.

 

Striding over to him, Lynn dropped to her knees, grasping his shoulders, her freshly manicured fingers digging into him slightly.  "Just please, don't do anything to provoke him while I'm gone and you'll be fine.  We'll be fine."

 

Clenching his jaw, Logan gritted his teeth.  "Will you come back for me?"

 

Blinking rapidly in shock, Lynn jerked back slightly before composing herself, her best actress smile crossing her bright red lips.

 

"Of course I will, Logan.  Always."

 

* * *

3.

* * *

Carolyn's little blond head rested on Veronica's shoulder and she swayed the little girl back and forth, soothing her in the soft sunlight.  She hated to wake her, but it was better if she saw Logan leave -- no matter how early it was.  The six-year-old needed to see him one last time before he caught his flight to meet up with his fleet in Virginia.  It didn't make the parting any easier, but it did give Veronica comfort that they had squeezed every moment from their time with Logan that they could.

 

Descending the stairs in his khaki uniform -- his bag slung over one shoulder -- Logan forced a smile across his lips, but it didn't reach his eyes, which remained dark and sad.  Veronica's heart clenched in her chest, knowing how badly it hurt him to have to leave his family, but also understanding that this was what they all signed up for when they decided to have a child while he was still in the Navy. 

 

Raising her head, Carolyn reached out and Logan took her from Veronica, lifting her high up above his head, causing her to giggle despite the somber mood, before bringing her down into a deep hug, her little legs dangling down his body.  She held on to him around his neck and for a moment, Veronica relished the image of daddy and daughter together.  Swinging her around again, he passed her back to Veronica, kissing Carolyn on the forehead first before moving to Veronica and doing the same.  Wrapping his arms around them both, he leaned down to leave a lingering kiss on Veronica's lips, before parting, leaving her feeling both filled with love and completely empty at the same time.

 

"Daddy?"  Carolyn whispered, clutching Veronica for dear life.  "Will you come back to us?"

 

Logan's eyes closed, taking a deep breath as his daughter's words hung over them all.  Opening his eyes, tears brimmed along his lashes.

 

"Always."

**Author's Note:**

> The title is taken from the lyrics to the song "Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult.


End file.
